1Reflection for October 8, Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:15-26

Gospel: Luke 11:15-26

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. 

And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

What motivates us to accuse falsely or to destroy the good reputation of our fellowmen? It’s greed, anger, envy and other negative emotions. These emotions are so dangerous that it could even lead us to kill. All of these are devious instruments of Satan. All of these are used by Satan to capture us. 

How could we refuse these enticements of Satan? We must be prayerful, we must always do good. We must at all times be focused on our mission to spread the teachings of Jesus through our words and actions. 

By doing good, Jesus was accused as being with Satan, what a reckless accusation emanating from the crowd! Is it Jesus siding with the demon or the crowd siding with the demon? The demon will never do good it will always seek to create chaos and manufacture baseless accusations. 

Come to think of it, by accusing Jesus the crowd allowed themselves to be used by the demon himself. In like manner we also allow ourselves to be an instrument of the demon when we purposely accuse people even without a grain of truth. 

The demon or devil is a clear and present danger to all of us. It’s always there looking for the right timing to capture us. However, if we are close to Jesus and we practice and live the teachings of Jesus. We have nothing to worry because the devil can do nothing to us. 

Do you always create time to get closer to Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

1Reflection for October 7, Thursday Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary: Luke 11:5-13

Gospel: Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed.  

I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.  

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?  

Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Isn’t God all knowing? Doesn’t He read our minds? So why do we need to badger Him in prayer about our needs? God is all knowing and God reads our minds but we still need to persistently let Him know what we want Him to do for us. Why? For the simple reason that it’s through our persistence that we develop deep friendship with Him. It’s through our persistent prayer that we obtain the grace to get to know Jesus much deeper.  

What if we would not persist? We miss the chance to know Jesus more deeply and we miss the opportunity to develop a much deeper friendship with Him.  Take for example our Sunday Mass obligation or the Online Sunday Mass (For those who are not able to go to church because of the Covid-19 restrictions) what would happen to us if we wouldn’t keep on attending it every Sunday? We miss the chance to know Jesus deeply, we miss the chance to be showered by His many blessing and we miss the opportunity to grow in faith.  

Yes, God knows everything about us already but we still need to be persistent before Him. For this is where He would know how deep is our love for Him. When we don’t give up on Jesus and when we continue to let Him know that we always hunger for Him. Surely Jesus will not be deaf and blind to our petitions before Him.    

Jesus will certainly smile at us and tell us: Here it is that you want I’m giving it to you now because you did not give up. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

1Reflection for October 6, Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 11:1-4

Gospel: Luke 11:1-4

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: 

Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Has anyone asked you to teach him/her to pray or have you taught somebody to pray? 

It’s a humbling experience if somebody would ask us to teach him/her to pray. Just like the same petition that the disciples of Jesus told Him. But before we could expect people to ask us to teach them how to pray we must learn to live our prayer first. 

For example, if we pray for humility it is incumbent upon us to live humility as well. If we pray for forgiveness we should be forgiving as well. If we pray for peace in our lives we should live a peaceful life. In other words, we should always learn to live our prayers before Jesus.   

What will move our fellowmen to ask us to teach them how to pray? We should ensure that we live our faith and we are humble at all times. This is how Jesus lived His life; He always ensured that His prayers are always accompanied by humble acts of faith. 

Just like Jesus, we too must see to it that we live what we pray or we walk and live our talk so that others may see in us Jesus. We become like magnets for Jesus if we live our prayers and we live it with humility. 

Has anyone asked you to teach him/her to pray or have you taught somebody to pray? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for October 5, Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 10:38-42

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

In the course of their journey Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  

She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me. But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' he said, 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.'

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

What are you going to do if you visit a house of a friend and you get the same treatment that Jesus received from Martha and Mary? Who are you going to favor Martha or Mary? It actually depends upon you who are you going to favor. But Jesus obviously preferred the action of Mary who sat down at His feet and faithfully listened to Him.  

What did Martha do that it did not get the merit of Jesus? Martha was busy preparing food for Jesus. Why did Jesus not favor Martha when what she was doing was for His honor also? Jesus is a preacher and perhaps being a preacher he wants people to listen to Him so that He could impart His wisdom. This was may be the reason why Jesus preferred the reverent act of Mary.  

What happens to us when we listen to Jesus and when we meditate on His words? We gain wisdom from Jesus himself and we are enlightened by Him no less. But do we still have time to listen to Jesus? Are we not very busy with our many worldly undertakings?  

 Some of us may say that we have to move and be busy because we have to earn and eat otherwise we’ll get hungry. Yes, this is true, but what would happen to us if we are all work? If we have no more time to listen to Jesus or if Jesus is just a minuscule entity in our lives? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for October 4, Monday Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi: Luke 10:25-37

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. 

Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

How do we express our love for God and neighbor? 

 It is by caring for those who are in need no matter who they may be, for as long as they’re in need we should help them. But there are those who are so withdrawn that even if they’re in need they find it hard to ask for help or they will not ask for help. There are people who are like them they’re in need but they don’t ask for help because of low self-esteem and shyness. 

 What should we do? We have be sensitive to their plight, we must not be stonehearted we should help without being asked for help. 

The question of the scholar of the law is perhaps also our question before Jesus: How can we inherit eternal life? And Jesus referred them to what was written in the law; Love of God and love of our neighbor; these are the two keys to have eternal life. 

Jesus further reinforced these two teachings with a story of a man who was victimized by robbers. As he lay wounded a priest followed by a Levite both prominent people simply passed by and did not lift a finger to help him. Afterwards a Samaritan came and he surprisingly helped the wounded man. Not content with helping him the Samaritan brought the man to an inn to be properly nursed there. 

It’s not enough to say, we love God and our neighbors for these are mere words that are empty. We put life and meaning to these two greatest commandments when we become like the compassionate Samaritan in the gospel. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for Sunday October 3, Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 10:2-16

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." 

And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

+ + + + + + +

Reflections:

How’s your married life?

Here are examples of marriages in crises: 1.) A man betrays his wife by having an illicit affair. 2.) A wife stays in the same house with her husband but they seldom speak to each other and she only stays with him for the sake of their children. 3.) A wife filed for nullity of her marriage in the church tribunal citing irreconcilable differences as one of her grounds. There are countless more marriages that are breaking apart, why is this happening? To whom could we attribute this debasing of the Sacrament of Matrimony or Marriage?

Perhaps this is caused by the lack of strong foundation on the couple’s faith and understanding about the Sacrament of Marriage. Perhaps this is caused by their moral arrogance and their lack of humility, forgiveness and perseverance to make their marriage work.  Perhaps this is influenced by their own family background for example, when they were young they saw that their own parents were not also faithful to their marriage.

The breakup of the Sacrament of Marriage is not the desire of God because from the beginning  God envisioned the Sacrament of Matrimony to be until eternity. This is the reason why Jesus tells us in the gospel: “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate (Mark 10:7-9)."

What then is the secret to a long and lasting marriage? We need to have childlike humility,we need to have Jesus in our lives, we need to be forgiving, we need to be persevering and we need to have a daily prayer time as a family. As father Patrick Peyton famously said, “The family that prays together stays together.” 

But sad to say, humility, forbearance, forgiveness and prayerfulness are the virtues that are lacking amongst married couples nowadays. It is so easy for them to separate now without considering the welfare of their family. Why is it hard for us to become humble, forbearing, prayerful and forgiving?

The answer is very simple: Because we are not faithful followers of Jesus. Yes we attend Holy Mass, we pray and we read the bible but we don’t take to heart the teachings of Jesus. Hence, may of us are captured by the temptation of Satan.

Let us not forget that to destroy the marriage covenant Satan always sugarcoats his temptation with everything that is attractive, good and rosy. Why? For us to be deceived and for our minds and hearts to override the very serious consequences that will come after we succumb to the temptation.  Hence, we have to be very discerning because Satan’s temptation is a reality of married life.

No marriage is perfect because we are not perfect as well. Therefore, we have to adjust to the many imperfections of married life for it to last a lifetime. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for October 2, Saturday Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. 

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Have you tried looking at the face of a child and have you tried looking at the face of an adult? Which of them give you more joy? Of course, it’s the face of the child. 

Jesus in the gospel gives us the secret on how we can enter the kingdom of heaven. Which is none other than to become like children or to be childlike, why? It’s for the reason of the pureness of their thoughts and their innocence.  No wonder being childlike is the key for us to enter God’s kingdom in heaven.  

But are we childlike in terms of the pureness of our thoughts and absence of sin? Of course we are not! Who among us could say that our thoughts are as pure as a child?  Who among us could say that we are without sin? Of course, nobody because we are all sinners we sin through our words, actions and thoughts.  

Nevertheless, it’s not yet late for us to go back to Jesus and be childlike before Him. Jesus through the Sacrament of Reconciliation is always inviting us to humble ourselves before Him. To be like a child who humbly runs to his parents with reckless abandon once he sees them coming home.  

Are you humble like a child? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

1Reflection for October 1, Friday Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church: Luke 10:13-16

Gospel:Luke 10:13-16

Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? 

You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

Is it possible for us not to sin anymore? 

No, as we live here in this world we will continue to sin for we are mere mortals with frailties. We sin through our thoughts, words and actions. However, as we keep on sinning God calls us always to repentance until the time comes that our sins will be diminished. 

Amid our humanness and sinfulness God wants us to know that we need to repent that is why He created the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For us to humbly submit ourselves and for us to be aware of God’s goodness and forgiveness.  

Obviously the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were stone hearted. They did not listen to the call of Jesus for them to repent. There really are people who are like the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. No matter how we try to help them and no matter how hard we gently speak to them. They will not walk away from their sinfulness they will really not hear us.

This is perhaps the mystery of human psychology; God comes to us yet we refuse Him. Or we are given advice by those who are concerned for our welfare yet we refuse to hear them.    

So for those who refuse to hear the wisdom of God and the wise counsel of the people around them. Be prepared for the consequences for there are really consequences for those who refuse to hear. But why wait for the price of our stubbornness to befall us?  Why not listen and walk away from our sinfulness? 

Let us repent while we still have time and let us humbly ask Jesus to forgive us of all our sins. The best vehicle for us to do this is to humbly submit ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Biyernes Oktubre 1 Santa Teresita de Jesus, dalaga at pantas ng Iglesya (Paggunita): Lucas 10:13-16

Mabuting Balita: Lucas 10:13-16

Noong panahong iyon sinabi ni Hesus, “Kawawa ka, Corazon! Kawawa ka, Betsaida! Sapagkat kung sa Tiro at Sidon ginawa ang mga kababalaghang ginawa rito sa inyo, disin sana’y malaon na silang nagdaramit ng sako at nauupo sa abo upang ipakilalang sila’y nagsisisi. 

Sa Araw ng Paghuhukom, higit na mabigat ang kaparusahan ninyo kaysa kaparusahan ng mga taga-Tiro at taga-Sidon. At ikaw, Capernaum, ibig mong mataas hanggang sa langit? Ibabagsak ka sa Hades! “Ang nakikinig sa inyo’y nakikinig sa akin, ang nagtatakwil sa inyo’y nagtatakwil sa akin, at ang nagtatakwil sa akin ay nagtatakwil sa nagsugo sa akin.”   

1Reflection for September 30, Thursday Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church: Luke 10:1-12

Gospel: Luke 10:1-12

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.  

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’  

Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

Would you be willing to be an ambassador of Jesus? 

It’s hard to respond to this call of Jesus to follow Him most especially when you see nothing but challenges. For example, provisions are very scarce, nobody wants to be with you for the simple reason that they don’t love God as much as you do.  

What would you do then? You must carry on! The harder the challenges in front of you the firmer your resolve to pursue and follow the Lord. The enemy of God which is no other than the devil will continue to badger you to give up. It will continue to paint a picture of hopelessness with what you do for Christ so as to discourage you. But you must not give up. You must continue to hold on with your desire to partake with the mission of Jesus.  

The statement of Jesus that the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few is as true as the sunshine today. Each day we see the decline of the morality and values of many people. Each day we see the debasement of the sanctity of marriage. Each day we see the disintegration of families most especially in the so called first world countries. This is the abundant harvest that Jesus pertains today.  

Don’t say that you don’t see any abundant harvest. Look in your own sphere of environment and you’ll see them. Focus on them; share Jesus with them thru your words or thru your lifestyle for they are your abundant harvest. Don’t worry about anything for Jesus is with you, He will protect you and He will provide for you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 29, Wednesday Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels (Feast): John 1:47-51

Gospel: John 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 

Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you believe that Jesus knows you very well? Many will not believe but the truth of the matter is Jesus knows each and everyone of us very well. What we are thinking right now Jesus knows about it also! 

 If Jesus knows everything about us why is it that he doesn’t intervene whenever we are in the verge of committing sin?  This is for the reason that God gave us the freewill or the freedom of choice to do what we want to do. 

However the moment we strive to get closer to Jesus. For example we religiously attend Holy Mass. We spend time to read the Holy Bible and live His teachings, we surely would feel the movement of Jesus in our lives. We therefore invite Jesus to take an active part in our lives when we strive to get close to Him. 

In the gospel Nathanael was surprised that Jesus knew him in advance. But looking at the life of Nathanael it comes without surprise that Jesus knew him beforehand. Because Nathanael was also quietly seeking and thinking about God. 

Do you want to feel the movement of Jesus in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Ang Mabuting Balita para sa Miyerkules Setyembre 29 San Miguel, San Gabriel at San Rafael, mga arkangel (Kapistahan): Juan 1:47-51

Mabuting Balita: Juan 1:47-51

47 Nakita ni Jesus si Natanael na palapit sa kanya at sinabi niya tungkol sa kanya: “Hayan, isang totoong Israelitang walang pagkukunwari.” 48 Sinabi sa kanya ni Natanael: “Paano mo ako nakilala?” Su­ma­got sa kanya si Jesus: “Bago ka pa man tawagin ni Felipe, habang nasa ilalim ka ng punong-igos, nakita na kita.”  

49 Sumagot si Natanael: “Rabbi, ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos, ikaw ang Hari ng Israel.” 50 Sumagot si Jesus: Sinabi ko lang sa iyong nakita kita sa ilalim ng punong-igos, at naniniwala ka na? Higit pa sa mga ito ang makikita mo.” 

51 At idinugtong ni Jesus: “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo, makikita ninyong bukas na ang langit at panhik-panaog sa Anak ng Tao ang mga anghel ng Diyos.”

1Reflection for September 28, Tuesday St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, martyrs (M): Luke 9:51-56

Gospel: Luke 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.  

On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:
Would you open the door of your house for Jesus? 

The Samaritans did not welcome Jesus because they did not know Him well. If only they knew Him they would have welcomed Him even if He was going to Jerusalem. But they did not know Him that’s why they refused to be hospitable to Him.  

There are some problematic individuals who decide to end their life by way of committing suicide. Why? Because they do not know Jesus, if only they know Jesus they would have not committed that grievous sin.  

We miss so many blessings when we do not fully know the Lord. For example, the blessing of hope, the blessing of love, the blessing of understanding, humility, peacefulness and a lot more. These are but a few of the many blessings that we miss when we do not know Jesus that well.  

But how would we know Jesus? We must read the bible most especially the first four books of the New Testament. We must often be present in the celebration of the Eucharist or Holy Mass  most especially during Sundays. If we do these acts of faith, slowly but surely our eyes of faith would be opened to the friendship of Jesus.  

But how about those who do not Jesus? How would they know Jesus? We have to share Jesus and we have to live His teachings so that through us they will know Jesus. To know Jesus is still not enough we have to share Him and we have to live what we know about Him.     

Do you want to live a more meaningful life? If your answer is yes, you therefore have to share and live Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

Reflection for September 27, Monday Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest: Luke 9:46-50

Gospel: Luke 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” 

Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company. Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you sometimes feel that you are above all for the reason of the things that you do or for the reason of your achievements and status in life? 

We can’t help but ask, why did the disciples argue as to who among them is the greatest? Perhaps they got carried away with the sudden fame of being with Jesus. That’s why they were arguing as to who was the greatest among them. By being mindful of their egos they forgot that they were with their Lord and Master. 

Jesus knew of their selfish desire for fame thus He took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” 

Least in what aspect? Least in promoting oneself as the greatest and least in filling up ones ego. It’s indeed very tempting to use Jesus to enhance our self-image. But reality check first, this is not what Jesus wants for us to become. Jesus desire for all of us is to embrace humility at all times. 

No one is greatest for Jesus but those who are humble. And those who silently give their time to help him advance His teachings. They are the greates in the eyes of Jesus. 

If you give your time for Jesus no matter how little so long as you give it with all your heart. If you give your time for Jesus without the objective to boast and the selfish desire to be popular. You’re already the greatest in Jesus eyes. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for Sunday September 26, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

 

Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. 

There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. 

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 

+ + + + + + +

 Reflection:

The Story is told about two pastors who were trying to convince the people in their place to join their respective religions. Pastor number one said, nobody can bring you closer to God except me  because others who are preaching about God are fake preachers so don’t listen to them listen only to me. 

Pastor number two said: Aside from listening to me you can also listen to others who are preaching the words of God. One of the members of his religion asked the pastor: Why should I listen to them also? The pastor said: Because I don’t have the monopoly of the words of God.     

In the gospel, a man who doesn’t belong to the group of Jesus was casting out demons using His name. John saw this man, thus he tried to prevent the man from using the name of the Lord (Mark 9:38). However, Jesus told John: Do not prevent him, let him continue using my name for no one who is using my name will speak ill of me (Mark 9:39).       

Was John feeling superior when he prevented the man from using the name of the Lord? Why did John has that mindset of superiority? Because he was with Jesus and he felt that he has the sole possession of the name Jesus? But Jesus did not like John’s display of arrogance. So Jesus contradicted John to send a strong message to His apostles that they don’t have the monopoly of his name.     

Jesus did not want to become an exclusive property of anyone even by those who are very close to Him. As far as Jesus is concerned, He is for everybody.  And for as long as it is for a noble purpose anyone can use His name anytime. 

We must avoid the mindset of superiority over anybody because nobody will like or join us. Instead, we must at all times be humble since its only thru our humility that we can bring our fellowmen  closer to the Lord and to our church. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

1Reflection for September 25, Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 9:43b-45

Gospel: Luke 9:43b-45

While they were all amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

Why were the disciples afraid to ask Jesus to elaborate His meaningful statement that He is going to be handed over to men? Did they sense that something dangerous is going to happen to Jesus soon? Were they afraid to hear something that would deal with suffering and the cross? Or the disciples were simply used to the image of Jesus as a powerful miracle worker and healer?   

Is it only for His miracles and healings that we follow Jesus? Perhaps yes, many of us are only after Jesus the miracle worker and Jesus the healer. But if we are only after His miracles and healings then this is not true discipleship.  

True discipleship happens to us when we are also ready to suffer for Jesus and when we are also ready to carry our own cross for Jesus. We cannot separate Jesus from suffering because He himself brutally suffered. Thus we cannot also separate ourselves from suffering/s if we truly follow Jesus.  

Nevertheless, let us not be afraid to suffer for our discipleship for Jesus because our suffering for Jesus will not be in vain. There is always something glorious after suffering and carrying our own cross for Jesus. We may not know it immediately but there surely will be glory after we endure our cross and sufferings. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for September 24, Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 9:18-22

Gospel: Luke 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.  

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Do you live the teachings of Jesus? 

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” they were unsure, some said that He was John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen. Then He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”  

If Jesus would ask us, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” I don’t know if we would be able to answer at all. Because unlike the disciples who walked and lived with Jesus and who shared and preached the word of God. We may not have preached and shared what we know about the  yet.  

What if He will also say to us, “But who do you say that I am?” Would we be able to reply like Peter who said with conviction, “The Christ of God.”  

These are two simple questions from Jesus that invites us to examine if we have a personal relationship with Him. If we don’t have it yet let us do our part by having that thirst and hunger for the Lord. And surely the Holy Spirit will do its part to bring us closer to Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 23, Thursday of the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest: Luke 9:7-9

Gospel: Luke 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, "John has been raised from the dead"; others were saying, "Elijah has appeared"; still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen." But Herod said, "John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him.

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

The story is told about a lady who was always being bothered by her conscience every time she sees a baby.  For it always reminds her of her baby which she aborted. She had no closure with the mortal sin that she did.  

Perhaps the same scenario was occurring in the mind of Herod. He was deeply disturbed by the news about Jesus. And it came to a point that he thought that John whom he ordered killed has been raised from the dead.  

Why is Herod curious about the true identity of Jesus and why have that burning desire to see Jesus? This is for the reason that Herod wants to see if John whom he ordered killed had risen.  

We too should have that curiosity about Jesus not because we want to know if He is John. We have to be curious about Jesus for the reason that we want to have a deeper intimacy with Him. And this desire to know more about the Lord should lead us to a deeper faith and love for the Lord.  

To whom does Jesus always manifest Himself to us during this covid-19 pandemic? He manifest through the poor, the deprived, the hungry and the oppressed. If we want to know Jesus deeply we must exert every possible effort to help and love them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Reflection for September 22, Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 9:1-6

Gospel: Luke 9:1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 

Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

How do you live in this world? Do you live with your trust and confidence in Jesus or you are living with your trust and confidence on yourself and in this world?  

When Jesus sent the twelve apostles to their mission of evangelization He told them this: “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic (Luke 9:3). What does this very important statement of Jesus imply to the apostles? Jesus in essence was telling the apostles, rely on no one but me for I will provide for all of your needs!  

Did they rely on Jesus? Yes of course except for Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him. The eleven of them relied on Jesus that’s why they were very successful in their mission of evangelization. Majority of them even gave their lives for their mission, faaithfulness and reliance to Jesus.  

This is a good point of reflection for all of us as we continue our journey in this fleeting world. To whom do we rest our lives in this world? Do we rest it on Jesus or we rest it on this world and ourselves? We are in the era of covid-19 in which it tells us about how fragile life is. That we can go out of this world anytime what if we die without a personal friendship with the Lord because of our busyness with the affairs of this world?  

Many of us continue to work so hard to accumulate temporal things. There are even some of us or many of us who even work during Sundays so that we could have what we want. So, we sacrifice our worship for God at Holy Mass in exchange for our accumulation of worldly things. 

Reliance on material things of this world will bring us nothing but emptiness. Even if we accumulate all of the material things of this world we would still not be happy we would still have this very deep feeling of void and emptiness. 

What if we rely on Jesus and we have a personal friendship with the Lord? Then, we are already complete and we are the happiest and most contented person in this world even if we have no material riches.  For the simple reason that Jesus is more than enough than any of the material thing/s of this world.     

We cannot bring to the next life the worldly things that we rely on this world. But if we rely on Jesus and if we rest our lives in Him this would assure us of eternal life in heaven with the Lord someday.  

To whom do you rely? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Reflection for September 21, Tuesday Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist: Matthew 9:9-13

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.  

The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Does Jesus have a soft spot for sinners? Yes Jesus has a soft spot for all of us sinners. For example in our gospel HE called a tax collector and a sinful man named Matthew. After calling Matthew Jesus went to Matthew’s house to dine with tax collectors and sinners.  

All of us are sinners and Jesus is continuously calling upon us to leave for good our sinful lives and follow HIM. The gravity of our sins are not anymore important for Jesus what is important for HIM is we respond to HIS call same as how Matthew in our gospel responded.  

Perhaps you may ask, why is Jesus calling me to follow HIM? Among many other reasons Jesus wants you to be freed from the bondage of sin; HE wants us to be enlightened by HIS grace. And Jesus wants to save you from hell where Satan holds court. These are the reasons why Jesus is calling you to follow HIM.  

Your life will never be the same again once you accept this call of Jesus. There will be healing in your family; you will now become averse to commit any form of sin and you will be freed from its bondage.  

Would you respond to the Lord’s call? – Marino J. Dasmarinas